Petri Bembi Cardinalis Viri Clariss. Rerum Venetarum Historiae Librii XII

Title: Petri Bembi Cardinalis Viri Clariss. Rerum Venetarum Historiae Librii XII

Author: Bembo, Pietro

Publication: Lutetiae [Paris]: Ex officina Michaelis Vascosani, uia [via] Iacobaea ad insigne Fontis, 1551.

Description: Cardinal Pietro Bembo's history of the Republic of Venice, detailing its political and military affairs from 1487 to 1513, including conflicts with Spain, France, Milan, the papacy, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. In Latin. First Paris edition, published by Michel de Vascosan the same year as the first edition by the Aldine Press, augmented with an index and two letterpress folding leaves. Woodcut head-pieces and initials. Bound in later full diced brown calfskin over boards; covers gilt with decorative border composed of individual tools within triple fillet frame; spine with six raised bands, lettering piece, and compartments gilt with floral and acorn centerpiece and scrolling tools at the corners; gilt turn-ins and board edges; marbled endpapers; all edges gilt. Quarto; 9 x 6 inches; [18], 311, [1] leaves, [2] folded leaves of plates. Two blanks wanting ([fleuron]6 and C6), final blank present (2Q8). Index bound after the first gathering as commonly found. From the collection of Arthur Williams Hall (1873–1952) of Massachusetts, bibliophile and manufacturer of laboratory equipment, with his pencil notes on front free endpaper; thence by descent through three generations. Moderate edgewear to binding, spine dry and chipped at head, 1-inch tear to one plate not affecting the text, moderate finger-soiling to title page, else a rather clean interior. Very Good+ in a Good+ binding. A well-preserved copy, complete with both plates. The author Pietro Bembo (1470-1547) was a scholar, poet, and official historian for the Republic of Venice. Reference: Universal short title catalogue, 150968.